Page 73 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
We passed a book store nestled between a souvenir shop and a cafe. Lina came to a stop and adjusted the shoulder strap of her purse. “Do you mind if we go in? I need a new book. I already went through those romance ones you had for me back at the house.”
“Yeah, sure thing,” I said, and I followed her into the book store.
She was one of those people who could choose her books fast. She picked up two more romance novels and a magazine. I paid for them, much to her protest, and then we broke free of the crowds in the airport and held our coats tight to our bodies as we hurried to the car.
I loaded it up, got in, and headed back home.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you to see this mystery person?” Lina asked after we had been driving for a few minutes.
I shook my head. “I’m sure. Let me just lay the groundwork. I’ll come get you when it’s time.”
She frowned. “All right. You’re making me kind of nervous.”
“I’m sorry. Don’t be nervous. Everything will be fine. It’s just… complicated.”
“I know.”
I felt bad withholding information from her, information she was entitled to know. The person I had to go see was Kelli. I knew she was the only one who stood a chance of jogging Lina’s memory at this point. She was also the only family she had left. Well, aside from Judy. The two of them were going to need to be there to catch Lina when I told her the truth: that she hated my guts, and she had for the last fifteen years.
And that I had lied about her being a nanny. About her being part of my family.
The whole mess made me physically ill.
I pulled into my driveway about half an hour after leaving the airport. I parked the car but left it on as I got out, popped the trunk, and carried Lina’s bags up to her bedroom for her. She put her new books and magazine down on the nightstand and turned on the lamp. It was late afternoon, and the sun had disappeared behind the snow clouds. The sky was getting dark fast.
“Will you be all right here on your own?” I asked.
Lina nodded. “Of course. I think I’ll have a hot shower, put some comfy clothes on, and curl up with a book. Then I’ll get dinner started. I could go for pasta. What do you think? Does Asher like pasta?”
I nodded. “Pasta sounds like a great idea. But hey, if you’d rather just relax, please, don’t feel obligated to cook anything.-”
Lina stepped toward me, took my face in her hands, and kissed me. “Stop worrying about me, Cal. I want to cook for you. I want all this.”
I swallowed. She had no idea what she was saying. She kissed me again and let me go. “You go,” she said. “That shower sounds really good right now.”
I nodded and left without saying anything. I heard her turn the shower on before I slipped out the front door and locked up behind myself. I got back in the car and drove to the one place I dreaded going more than anywhere else in the world: Judy’s house.
I arrived much too quickly.
The house was surrounded by snow and looked utterly serene. White Christmas lights lined the roof and framed the windows, and Judy’s red, green, and gold wreath still hung on the door. Her Christmas tree was lit in the window as well, and if she still did things the way she used to, I knew it would stand until the second of January, when Judy would spend the day taking down all her decorations.
I should offer to take her lights down for her, I thought as I walked up the driveway with my hands in my pockets. I cut across the lawn on the shovelled path and hopped up on the doorstep. I lifted my hand to knock and froze.
Was I sure this was the right thing to do? Was I going to get myself in even more hot water than I already was?
I shook my head. Not talking to Kelli about this would be unethical. Lina needed her best friend in her life. Kelli was the one who should be by her side, not me.
I knocked.
I knew that Kelli was the one answering the door by how slowly it opened. She rolled around in her wheelchair to sit in front of me. Her stare was as dark and angry as it had been the last time I stood there to pick up Lina’s things.
I tried to smile. It didn’t work. “Hey, Kelli. I know you don’t want to see me, but please, I have to talk to you.”
Kelli crossed her arms over her chest. She was bundled up in thick sweaters and had a blanket draped over her lap. Her leg cast was still on, not that I thought it wouldn’t be. Not nearly enough time had passed since the accident. Hell, she was probably still in terrible amounts of pain.
All while I was playing house with my high school sweetheart.
“What do you want, Cal?” she spat.
